


One Dance with You

by southernbookgirl



Category: NCIS
Genre: Dancing, Ellick, F/M, Fictober, I am in a mood, Romance, Tumblr Prompt, fictober 18, i can't stop writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 00:25:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16482581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/southernbookgirl/pseuds/southernbookgirl
Summary: Who do you call when you are in a pickle? The only person awake at 11 p.m. who would agree to one dance with you.





	One Dance with You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NZNaturalKiwi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NZNaturalKiwi/gifts).



> I saw the request from NZNaturalKiwi on torresandbishop's Tumblr for Ellick to tango. I do not know if this is exactly what y'all had in mind, but I hope it relieves some of the lingering desire we have for the show till it returns in two weeks. Happy Halloween, everyone! (Fictober Prompt #8: “I know you do.”)

  _“A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.” ~Leo Buscaglia_

* * *

Ellie Bishop did not know why she ever agreed to this. I mean, she had taken some lessons as a child, but she emphasized “as a _child_ ”. Nevertheless, it was for charity, and how could she say no to her friend Anneliese and her daughter Alison? Anneliese knew Ellie would say “yes” the moment she saw her young friend bat her eyes at the NCIS agent, whining “Pleeeeeease, Ms. Ellie?” Now, Ellie had about a month left before the charity ball, and she had no idea how to do this dance. That is where she chose her head over her heart - “always the pragmatist _,_ ” her mother would say - to win her internal argument; she dialed, the number ingrained in her mind, the one person she knew could help her with this issue.

He answered after two rings. “Hey, B? What’s up?” Nick Torres was always so chill when he answered her calls. Bishop wouldn’t admit it, but her heart always skipped a beat or two every time he greeted her. “Gibbs call us with another case?” He glanced at the clock. It was almost eleven at night.

“No, Nick, not this time, thankfully,” Ellie replied. “I…have a bit of a dilemma, and I need your help.”

Well, she piqued his interest. “Sure, Bishop, what’s the problem? If it involves you, me, and a way to get back at Palmer for his Halloween prank, I’m all in. However, if it is something nerdy, like, the Mathlympics, call McGee. He speaks words of the nerds.”

“Uh, first off, I didn’t know you were even aware of the existence of the Mathlympics.” Ellie said this with a note of awe and confusion evident in her voice. “Secondly, no, we’ll discuss revenge against Palmer later. I have a more pressing matter to attend to… Can you teach me how to tango?”

Of all the things Eleanor Raye Bishop could have told Torres, this was the last thing he expected. “Tango, Bishop? What did you do – get a last-minute call for _Dancing with the Stars_?”

“Eh, close.” Nick could hear Ellie cringing over the phone. “My friend Anneliese’s veterans’ organization is having a charity ball and dinner show in about a month, and I promised her I would be one of the performers. However, I have two problems: I do not know how to tango, and I lack a partner with whom to perform.”

“Oh, wow.” It took Nick a moment to wrap his brain about his partner’s requests. “Okay, B. I know you think I am the archetype of a perfect Latin specimen, and I admire your confidence in my abilities. Nevertheless, I don’t know if I am one to ask.”

“Of course, you do, Nick.” Nick could practically hear her rolling her eyes at him. _Wow, I really know her habits_ , he noted to himself. This was not much of a surprise to him, and it did not startle or scare him as he had once imagined. However, his internal musings were broken by Bishop’s next words. “Torres, I am desperate here. Lucia mentioned once you took ballroom lessons for class credit in college. As you are the only guy I know in the D.C. area with any dancing abilities, I called you. Please, Nick, I need you.”

Nick would be lying if he said his heart didn’t flutter a bit when his friend and partner said she needed him. However, he knew that is not what she meant. _She would never see me that way anyways. I am to her like one of her brothers_ , Nick sighed to himself. He shook any romantic thoughts of he and Ellie out of his head. “Well, because you asked politely, I will help you.”

Bishop’s exhale of relief conveyed more than words ever could. “Thank you. Can we meet this Friday, say, six o’clock at the practice studio off of the work gym? The mirrors there should be a great assistance to you as you teach me the steps. Thankfully, it does not have to be a long routine. Maybe a minute to a minute-and-a-half, tops. We would be one of five couples opening the dinner and ball, so we would not have to stay long for the event itself.” Ellie said this as if to appease Nick, but truthfully, to see Ellie dressed to the nines, at a fancy dinner, holding her close as they moved across the dance floor, Nick would give up his beloved motorcycle if it meant he could have that time with Ellie. Torres, of course, would breathe not a word of his thoughts to her.

“Sure, B, whatever works. Six this Friday is fine. We can practice for a couple hours, then maybe grab a bite at the diner?”

“Sure, Nick.” Nick could hear the smile in her voice. “Thank you so much for doing this for me. I have us down for Friday at six, and I will see you at work tomorrow. Have a good night. Sorry for bothering you at this hour.”

“No worries, Bishop. All good. See you tomorrow at work and be prepared for a hard practice this Friday. I won’t go easy on you.”

His partner laughed, her laugh a clear and beautiful sound that Nick never tired of hearing. “Yeah, Nick. Alright. Have a good night.”

“Night, B,” he said, and the two hung up. In all honesty, she could bother him any time, day or night. Ellie Bishop was a beautiful, strong ray of sunshine in his life, full of wit, intelligent, and passion. Nick had to not only prepare his body for the physical demands ahead, but he must prepare his mind and heart for the roller coaster he had just agreed to board. If he did not do that, the next month, being so close yet so far from Eleanor Bishop, would leave him miserable and longing for something he knew he could never have. Nicholas Torres did not often hear “no” when it came to women and relationships, but if he were not careful, he could ruin this precious friendship he had with Bishop. _Better a friend over a lost love, any day_ , Nick mused as he got up from his kitchen table and headed for bed. With Ellie Bishop, you never knew what you were going to get, and being kept on his toes with her meant every day was different. So, boy, he would in for a treat at their first practice that Friday. _Surprise, surprise indeed._

* * *

  _“Dancing with your silhouette in the places that we met.../And I'll follow right down the river/Where the ocean meets the sky/To you, to you...” ~Little Mix & Cheat Codes, _“Only You”


End file.
